Rating: 
Summary: Gave me the courage to finally build my own
Review: A couple of the guys I work with have been messing around with this hobby for a while, and I've always wanted to give it a shot but didn't know where to start.Now that I have this wonderful book, I've started to dig in and finally build my own arcade machine. Most useful so far have been the author's guidelines on materials building, and the clear way he explains woodworking chores. I'm far from an expert woodworker, and many project books I've picked up go way over my head. John St. Clair's approach is very clear without being condescending. Overall this is an awesome book. If you have visions of a stand-up arcade machine in the corner of your den, basement, or playroom, pick up this book and get to work!
Rating:
Summary: GREAT GREAT GREAT!
Review: An easy read that's filled with EVERYTHING you need to know when building an arcade machine. Yes, I said build your own arcade machine. For years I wanted to buy one, but when the possiblity of playing virtually every arcade game made over 20 years IN MY HOME came up it was too good to be true. Despite the fact I've built 2 machines, I still bought this book......when you get into this hobby you'll learn...you're never really finished with your machine....that's 100% part of the fun. BUY THE BOOK you won't regret it!
Rating:
Summary: What a great book
Review: I have been paging through this book over and over. I wish I had this book when I was working on my project. All the illustrations are available on the CD in full size. Appendix B has a very good insight on an issue that is in this hobby. This hobby is changing so fast that it is hard to keep up the new products and ideas. The book and its accompaning websites help point you in the right direction of the latest products and ideas to help make your project better and unique.
Rating:
Summary: Much more than I expected
Review: I'm about half way through the book, I plan to finish it up this weekend, but I have to say that this book was worth every penny. I bought it because I have already done a couple of arcade cabinets like this, and thought it wouldn't hurt to pick this up. I had no idea the hobby had come this far! There is stuff in there I hadn't even imagined! Now as soon as I'm done the book I'm off to start my next cabinet, I'm pumped! If you are even -thinking- about making a home arcade 'mame' machine, save yourself a lot of time and effort and pick this up!!!
Rating:
Summary: I wish I had this when I made my first project!
Review: I've been visiting the author's web site for several years & have already built a 'prototype' arcade control panel. The site is a GREAT resource, filled with extremely helpful & experienced people, but I feel that I would have been MUCH happier with my project if I'd have had this book next to me the whole time. What the book does a great job of doing is consolidating all of the information available on the web & using it to provide a reference project to work by. This book has inspired me to begin planning a full arcade cabinet & it will be the FIRST place I look to guide me through its construction.
Rating:
Summary: I wish I had this when I made my first project!
Review: I've been visiting the author's web site for several years & have already built a 'prototype' arcade control panel. The site is a GREAT resource, filled with extremely helpful & experienced people, but I feel that I would have been MUCH happier with my project if I'd have had this book next to me the whole time. What the book does a great job of doing is consolidating all of the information available on the web & using it to provide a reference project to work by. This book has inspired me to begin planning a full arcade cabinet & it will be the FIRST place I look to guide me through its construction.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent advice for newbies and experienced builders alike!
Review: I've built four arcade machines in the past, and honestly wasn't expecting to find anything I didn't already know in this book. I was pleasantly surprised to find all kinds of info I wasn't aware of; it's a great source of inspiration- full of ideas I never would have thought of.
If you're even toying with the idea of getting into this extremely rewarding hobby - you need to buy this book! If you've already built an arcade machine and have become addicted - you need to buy this book!
It's that simple.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book for the person starting out
Review: If you have an interest in vintage video games, and what male child that grew up in the 80's doesn't, then you probably have an interest in acquiring your own arcade game. It was with this start that I discovered MAME and quickly decided that I wanted to build my own arcade machine.
John St. Clair's book does a very thorough job of walking you through the planning stage, the building stage and how to wrap everything up. In between he does a terrific job of describing how to build (hack) your own controls or where you can buy pre-made controls at. By doing this he makes his book effective for a wide variety of people.
Included with the book is a CD that has a lot of reference material as well as various programs that will help you on your way to discovering arcade nirvana in your own home. The book is easy to follow and is well laid out.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome Resource!!
Review: If you spent your pre-teen and teen years pumping quarters into Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Galaga, you probably thought "I wish I had one of these at home! When I've got a real job, I'll buy one for sure!", right? With mortgages, car payments, and student loans eating away at your "fun money", that old dream just didn't quite make it to reality. Now, thanks to MAME, this book, and some fanatasic online resources, you can build your own machine that is exactly the way you want it! All your old favorites can live again in your home. This book really details every single step you need to go through to make it happen. It has clear writing, good diagrams and photos, and a helpful CD. Even if you have limited skills, this book will guide you through the process of building your own arcade machine. The writing style is smooth, and you'll find yourself picking this book up, opening to a random page, and learning another detail towards building your dream arcade machine.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome Resource!!
Review: If you spent your pre-teen and teen years pumping quarters into Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Galaga, you probably thought "I wish I had one of these at home! When I've got a real job, I'll buy one for sure!", right? With mortgages, car payments, and student loans eating away at your "fun money", that old dream just didn't quite make it to reality. Now, thanks to MAME, this book, and some fanatasic online resources, you can build your own machine that is exactly the way you want it! All your old favorites can live again in your home. This book really details every single step you need to go through to make it happen. It has clear writing, good diagrams and photos, and a helpful CD. Even if you have limited skills, this book will guide you through the process of building your own arcade machine. The writing style is smooth, and you'll find yourself picking this book up, opening to a random page, and learning another detail towards building your dream arcade machine.
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